("Object": artwork, literary work, music work, etc.)
Eight Aesthetic Reasoning Principles
1. Objects are aesthetically valuable if they have meaning that teaches ustruths and provokes us to think and/or feel more deeply than we usually do.
2. An object is aesthetically valuable if it conveys important information about the culture that it comes from, and/or about the artist that produced it.
3. An object is aesthetically valuable if it has the capacity to bring about beneficial social change, meaning changing opinions, practices, laws, customs, attitudes, etc.
4. An object is aesthetically valuable if it can produce beneficial pleasure in the persons who witness it.
5. An object is aesthetically valuable if it helps us cope with emotions or attitudes that are not beneficial, such as negative emotions. As Aristotle said, “a tragedy provokes a catharsis of pity and fear.”
6. An object is aesthetically valuable if it stimulates our imaginations and frees our minds.
7. An object has aesthetic value if it has Beauty or “significant form,” which means that it is interesting, appealing and perhaps even inspiring in the way it is put together. It provokes positive emotions. Thomas Aquinas said that a thing of beauty has “Wholeness, Harmony and Radiance.”
8. Aesthetic experience is so subjective and emotional that it is difficult to reason about it.
SUMMARY of points about what a given work of art may do or be --
1. It teaches ustruths, 2. It teaches us about its culture or artist, 3. It brings about beneficial social change, 4. It produces pleasure, 5. It helps us cope with negative emotions, 6. It stimulates our imaginations and frees our minds, 7. It is beautiful and harmonious. 8. It is difficult to reason about.
Note: Thomas Aquinas said that a good work of art has Wholeness, Harmony and Radiance.
Wholeness: it's complete in itself.
Harmony: all its parts fit together.
Radiance: it's very attractive - it puts out a glow that's almost tangible.
When is an Object Aesthetically Valuable?
("Object": artwork, literary work, music work, etc.)Eight Aesthetic Reasoning Principles
1. Objects are aesthetically valuable if they have meaning that teaches us truths and provokes us to think and/or feel more deeply than we usually do.
2. An object is aesthetically valuable if it conveys important information about the culture that it comes from, and/or about the artist that produced it.
3. An object is aesthetically valuable if it has the capacity to bring about beneficial social change, meaning changing opinions, practices, laws, customs, attitudes, etc.
4. An object is aesthetically valuable if it can produce beneficial pleasure in the persons who witness it.
5. An object is aesthetically valuable if it helps us cope with emotions or attitudes that are not beneficial, such as negative emotions. As Aristotle said, “a tragedy provokes a catharsis of pity and fear.”
6. An object is aesthetically valuable if it stimulates our imaginations and frees our minds.
7. An object has aesthetic value if it has Beauty or “significant form,” which means that it is interesting, appealing and perhaps even inspiring in the way it is put together. It provokes positive emotions. Thomas Aquinas said that a thing of beauty has “Wholeness, Harmony and Radiance.”
8. Aesthetic experience is so subjective and emotional that it is difficult to reason about it.
SUMMARY of points about what a given work of art may do or be --
1. It teaches us truths, 2. It teaches us about its culture or artist, 3. It brings about beneficial social change, 4. It produces pleasure, 5. It helps us cope with negative emotions, 6. It stimulates our imaginations and frees our minds, 7. It is beautiful and harmonious. 8. It is difficult to reason about.
Note: Thomas Aquinas said that a good work of art has Wholeness, Harmony and Radiance.
Wholeness: it's complete in itself.
Harmony: all its parts fit together.
Radiance: it's very attractive - it puts out a glow that's almost tangible.
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